《道樞》Vol. 37

Scroll 37 of The Pivot of the Dao: “Entering the Medicine Mirror,” Part One (in modern language)

Master Cui says: When primordial chaos first opened, a single Qi gave rise to Yin and Yang, the two primal forms. These in turn gave rise to Heaven, Earth, and humanity, the Three Powers. Once the Three Powers were established, the Five Phases were complete; together they formed the full set of eight, often associated with the Eight Trigrams and the eight directions. What has its root within the three fields—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy centers)—is called nature. Nature is where the original spirit of one’s destiny gathers. Nature delights in movement, so it follows external circumstances and shifts with them, passing through birth and death again and again. What nourishes life and must gather together for life to continue is called Jing, Qi, and Shen (spirit); together, they are known as the “Three Activities.”

The root lies in the Dantian’s sea of Qi. The Jing and blood of man and woman unite as a single Qi, and this Qi is original Qi. When original Qi does not disperse, this is the subtle art of “guarding.” In time, divine radiance arises within clarity and emptiness. As this radiance grows strong, it becomes the seed of long life. The mind’s restless fluctuations and unsettled movements are all movements of Qi, not Shen. Only through true stillness in a single thought can one perceive Shen’s own nature. By observing this closely, one can recognize Qi, reveal the true thought, and transform and unite with Shen.

How is my body different from Heaven and Earth? Each has received only a single Qi. When Qi disperses, Shen departs; when Qi comes to rest, Shen becomes settled. To preserve it, one must bring the Five Wheels to completion and gain strength in the Five Powers.

What are the Five Wheels? They refer to the eyes: the whites belong to the Lungs, the irises to the Kidneys; the yellow in and around the irises belongs to the Spleen; the blue green within the yellow belongs to the Liver and Gallbladder; and the large corners, the areas beside the pupils, belong to the Heart.

What are the Five Powers? Shen’s function is expressed through the eyes, which are linked to the Five Organs. Taking the sea of Qi in the lower Dantian as their root, these are the outer Five Powers. There are also five inner powers, rooted in the nature of “Vajra”: in the body, they are the Five Organs; in action, the Five Phases; in color, the five colors; in sound, the five tones; in Heaven, the five planets; and on Earth, the five sacred mountains. When one of these is clearly understood inwardly and guarded, Shen’s function is in the eyes and Qi is in the nose—this is the subtle art of “settling.”

Fire governs the south and corresponds to the Heavenly Stems Bing and Ding, and to my Heart. Water governs the north and corresponds to the Heavenly Stems Ren and Gui, and to my Kidneys. The Heart is the nature of what is “above”; its essential task is to cover the fire below and make it rise. Its nature belongs to Fire.

Note: This chapter uses the language of Neidan (internal alchemy), weaving together the cosmos’s creation—one Qi, the two primal forms, the Three Powers, and the Five Phases—and Jing, Qi, and Shen within the body, the three Dantian, the Five Wheels and Five Organs, and the Water and Fire of the Heart and Kidneys, forming a sequence of cultivation. “Guarding original Qi,” “true stillness in a single thought,” and “divine radiance” generally refer to practices such as preserving Shen, refining Qi, and turning one’s gaze and hearing inward, rather than to purely philosophical discussion. If you would like to compare a particular phrase, such as “the number eight,” “the Five Powers,” or “the nature of Vajra,” with the original text, you can specify the passage and I can explain it line by line.

This passage explains the principles of harmonizing Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) in Daoist cultivation. The kidneys belong to the Water phase and represent the body's Jing. If kidney-water cannot be retained, it dissipates—ordinary people naturally expend their Jing downward through mundane activities. Practitioners, however, must guide this essence upward to unite with the heart-mind (Shen), which is the gateway to attaining the Dao (the Way).

The heart represents Shen, while the kidneys govern Qi. When the spirit is tranquil and the breath harmonized, the body's true vitality (Zhenyuan) manifests. In practice, one should regard the heart as a polished mirror, the body as its stand, and the spirit as the catalyst. The liver's Qi (Wood phase) operates through the eyes, while the lung's Qi (Metal phase) flows through the nose—balancing these enables a return to one's primordial origin. Without sufficient Shen and Qi, true vitality cannot emerge.

The key lies in maintaining the clarity and luminosity of Shen-Qi, allowing them to mutually safeguard one another. The heart-mind resembles a mirror: it reflects external phenomena without being disturbed by them. The brightness of the "heart-fire" (Shen) stems from inner stillness; when the mind is lucid, it perceives the essence of all things. Daily practice requires constant vigilance to guard the original mind, free from the Three Poisons (greed, anger, delusion) or the Ten Evils.

The senses—eyes, ears, nose—serve as gateways for Shen-Qi. Maintaining unbroken mindfulness day and night is called "stable quiescence" (Dingji). When Shen-Qi coalesces without dispersion, intention becomes transformative. A settled spirit ensures smooth Qi circulation; their mutual preservation sustains the physical form. The Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water)—embodied as the five organ systems—are inherently deathless; their decline stems only from scattered Shen-Qi. These phases fundamentally denote the five visceral spirits: the heart's Shen, liver's Hun (ethereal soul), lungs' Po (corporeal soul), spleen's Yi (intent), and kidneys' Zhi (will).

This is where the function of Neidan (internal alchemy) lies.

A person’s Shen (spirit) rests in their nature; nature is fire, and fire is given to dissipation. Originally, the primordial Jing (essence) weighs one catty. In four years, one tael is dissipated; in forty years, ten taels are lost; by age sixty-four, it is exhausted. Who can gather it without letting it scatter? This is the true Dao.

All things are movements of Qi (vital energy), yet Shen itself has never moved. When Qi disperses, Shen does not disperse; when Qi departs, Shen does not depart. It is Qi that is born and dies; Shen has never been born or died. To see all things outwardly while remaining inwardly unmoved is the wondrous function of the Dharma gate.

Know that reality lies in “not using”: neither coming nor going, stillness and wisdom clear and radiant, as formless and undifferentiated as the vast emptiness between Heaven and Earth. When the mind and Shen are settled and clear, the primordial Qi is secure, and the body and Jing can endure. This is the numinous medicine of the Three Fields.

What are the Three Fields? The upper is the brain, the middle is the heart, and the lower is the Qi Sea below the navel. They are also called the Three Marvels: Jing, Qi, and Shen. When all three are complete and return to the lower Dantian (energy center), the bones and marrow become full and strong. This is the work of creation and transformation. When understanding reaches the body and the body responds, this is the way of a true immortal.

Yet to rejoice at seeing things, or to renounce them upon seeing them, means the mind is moving. Qi is primordial Qi: it is obtained through harmony and dissipated through delight. When it disperses, it leaves through the gate; when it gathers, it enters through the gate. Shen is in the eyes, and Qi is in the nose. Thus the eyes are the Gate of Vajra—Vajra being true nature. Qi exists through the body’s form. When Shen is settled, Qi remains still. To see things and have Shen move, yet see things without the mind being displaced, is inner stillness. What is gold cannot be harmed by anything; it can gather Qi and stabilize the body.

If I rejoice or renounce, Shen disperses and the Eight Deviations enter. When the mind recklessly gives rise to two thoughts, they must not arise heedlessly from emptiness; if they arise from emptiness, the mind becomes unsettled and loses its way. Shen, Qi, and Jing each serve as the basis of the others. Why do I say this? Jing is the substance that gives rise to life, yet it has no form. It borrows Qi to take form: within the body it is Qi; when it passes through the coccygeal gate, it is Jing. If Jing can be settled in its natural state, how could the body grow frail? Thus Jing is said to be a person’s life. One who can avoid leakage does no more than replenish the years of their allotted lifespan.

If a person can act in accord with the principles of creation and transformation, true Jing can be preserved, the true body can be stabilized, and true Shen can be settled—this is the Way of long life. Yet people today often try to settle Jing by means of the mind, but cannot settle Shen. They think that when water is full it will overflow, and when Qi is full it will stir; they do not understand that only when Shen and Qi are at rest do they become a “cauldron.” Shen turns with Qi, and Qi moves with Shen. When Shen can keep Qi in place, Qi can give rise to Shen. The two keep and gather one another; as they gather, they take form. This is what is called the cauldron.

Thus, those who cultivate the Elixir take the Qi of their original source and unite it into a form, then return it to the original palace. In time, it becomes like a formed embryo, transforming into Shen; this is called becoming an immortal through shedding the mortal body. Life is bound to the Jade Pivot, between the Jade Caverns. In the lower field lies the Jade Spring, where true Qi gathers and becomes Jing. When the Qi of true Jing issues forth, a person is born; if it does not issue forth, the root of the earth does not leak. Refine it, and this is called becoming a Jade Immortal; the lower origin then no longer leaks.

At this point, one must know how to make it move: reverse its flow along the path of the two passes—the two passes being the routes on either side of the spine. Guide the Qi upward to the upper palace, that is, the brain; let it enter the Flower Pool and refine it into frost, then carry it to the Green Sea, that is, the Dantian (energy center). Temper it with true fire, and an embryo of the Mysterious Pearl will form. The Mysterious Pearl is the true Qi of the original palace gathered and turned into Jing, with Jing then becoming form again. Refined for a long time, the Mysterious Pearl restores youth. This is the Way of the Yellow River flowing upstream, which is extraordinary, not the ordinary Way.

When there is a treasure in the Dantian, external affairs are answered first within; what is to come is known beforehand, and communication between above and below becomes numinous. The mind is the seal: when the mind is not in harmony, the seal does not move. The mind and the seal are the root; the seal is dust. Cut off that dust, and one realizes the immortal state of true emptiness. The mind may be dispelled but not extinguished; this is realizing the immortal state of numbered emptiness. When neither mind nor seal is used, one realizes the immortal state of empty stillness.

When mind and seal are released and extinguished amid all dust, ordinary and sage are no different. As before, the mind’s Dharma seal does not leave the mind; the two uphold one another and function like the processes of creation and transformation. In this way, one realizes Yang Truehood. This is the method of refining the Elixir while preserving the body. What is the seal? It is Jing. When the seal is settled, Jing is born; when the seal is severed, Jing is exhausted. Thus the seal arises from the mind, and the mind in turn is born from the seal. Ordinary people use the mind, but do not know how to use the seal.

Plain-Language Interpretation of The Pivot of the Dao

The Seal and the Heart

“Seal” means that the sage acts through the seal without relying on the heart-mind to act recklessly—without letting the heart-mind stir things up at random. Once the heart-mind is engaged in this way, it becomes scattered by delusion; when it scatters, Qi becomes disordered, Shen departs, and Jing disperses.

When the heart-seal is settled and Jing begins to arise, Shen becomes clear, Qi becomes refreshed, the skin and flesh grow lustrous, and the eyes become bright. There are no dreams, delusions, palpitations, or states of confusion. These are all signs that Jing has settled and then arisen. This Dao proceeds by “returning from the heart-mind to the seal”—a sign of Jing being formed.

If Jing can be secured as the foundation of life, Qi arises within Jing and gives rise to Shen. A fetus then forms and transforms into the true body. What is Jing? It is Shen. When Shen settles, Jing arises; when Jing reaches its fullness, Shen arises. Each contains the other, and together they form one. When they gather, life arises; when they disperse, death follows.

What is Shen? It is Qi. Here too, each contains the other: when Shen moves, Qi responds; when Qi moves, Shen returns. They act upon one another and can thus transform the body into pure Yang. A person’s appearance and temperament, then, are shaped by what Jing transforms into. Jing guards Qi, Qi guards Shen, and Shen guards Jing—this is the Dao of long life.

When body and mind are free of greed, nothing in the world can bind them, much less draw them into conflict. This is called “withdrawing the body.” When nothing in the world clings to the heart-mind, and one maintains this in daily life, it is called “concealing Shen.” One then takes the medicine of the Three Primordials and kindles the fire below with numinous power. How is the medicine gathered? Shen, Qi, and Jing guard one another and harmonize. A single thought obtains these three substances; where do they return? They return to stillness at the root. Where does the light of Shen return? For the sage, it returns to the Elixir; for ordinary people, it returns to emptiness.

Returning to the Elixir and the River Chariot

Returning to the Elixir means returning the heart-mind to intent and stilling Shen. The original Shen may perceive things without moving, settled inwardly alone. But what if its dwelling place is damaged? Cui Gong, an earlier adept often cited in Daoist Neidan writings, says that there is then a method of the great medicine: gather the three Qi in the Dantian to form the body; through the workings of creation and transformation, Shen is born, while the heart-mind and nature roam freely and rest in ease.

What method is this? Riding the River Chariot, attending the Jade Portal, and casting in Golden Essence. The River Chariot refers to the vital Qi of the north, often used in internal cultivation as a metaphor for true Qi ascending along the Governing Vessel. Golden Essence lies in the chamber of the kidneys, where the kidneys store Jing. Food enters the stomach; its dregs pass into the large intestine, its fluids into the small intestine, and its Qi is governed by the Dantian. It penetrates the passage at the brain, appearing in due time within the true realm, and subtly irrigates the brain. It passes through the twelve meridians and reaches the Dantian.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Dao Shu

This is the foundation of returning to the root and restoring the origin. From here one opens the Gate of Heaven, a practice connected with the Way of the sun and moon. The essentials are to prepare the four things first, then shake the Pillar of Heaven and steady the breath. Using Qi as a windlass to turn and circulate the workings of Qi is the method of restoring youthful vitality.

Qi rises from the Jade Pass to pay court above, enters the brain, passes through the upper palate, and reaches the nostrils. It then descends onto the tongue, sweet as clarified butter. Like an infant nursing, it can gradually grow stronger day by day. How much more so when one nourishes oneself with one’s own “milk”—Jing and Qi. How could this fail to lead to longevity?

The Fire phase may be practiced during the three periods of Hai, Zi, and Chou. Hai corresponds to the Kun hexagram of the tenth lunar month. Kun is the receptive mother: great Yin can contain Yang, which is why it is said that the myriad things carry Yin and embrace Yang. Zi corresponds to the Fu hexagram: at the height of pure Yin, one Yang is born again. This is the eleventh-month period, when one Yang emerges from below. Practicing the Fire phase at Zi is called the birth of Yang, the movement from Yin toward Yang; half the Qi then converges in the Kidney Palace. Chou corresponds to the Lin hexagram, when a second Yang emerges from below. Yin corresponds to the Tai hexagram, when three Yang lines have appeared and one may proceed with the practice.

Fire has no form; it burns by means of Qi. Its light is Shen, and Shen takes its cue from one’s nature. Nature can transform, so Shen is Fire. It cannot be seen directly, just as fire lies within wood and appears only when the wood is drilled. The method of “drilling” is to sit upright with eyes closed, steady the breath, and calm the mind. When Shen is settled and Qi is harmonious, the mind’s intention brings forth the Fire. True Fire can refine the Elixir; one must understand its principles before attempting the practice.

The Water phase may be practiced during the three periods of Si, Wu, and Wei. Si corresponds to the Qian hexagram of the fourth lunar month, when Yang reaches its peak and Yin begins to arise. Wu corresponds to the Gou hexagram of the fifth month, when one Yin is born. Wei corresponds to the Dun hexagram of the sixth month, when two Yin lines appear. Shen corresponds to the Pi hexagram of the seventh month, when three Yin lines have appeared. The periods associated with these hexagrams are suitable for practicing Water. Follow the proper timing, and Water will arise from within the heart. Why? The heart is the root. If it can remain clear, still, and unmoving, with the breath stopped and Shen settled, Water will arise from the Kidney Hall, rise to the brain, and pass down through the two openings of the palate into the mouth, where it tastes sweet. This is Water from the heart rising to pay court above.

(The hexagrams Kun, Fu, Lin, Tai, Qian, Gou, Dun, and Pi are named in the Zhouyi and are matched with the months and the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang. Together, they form a schedule of times for the Fire phase in Neidan. “Jade Pass,” “Kidney Palace,” and “Kidney Hall” are metaphors for locations within the body, not anatomical terms.)

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Dao Shu (The Pivot of the Dao)

Move the tongue from side to side inside the mouth—the “Jade Pool,” where saliva gathers—eighteen times in each direction, then hold the saliva in the mouth. Rinse and swallow it 360 times, though you need not adhere rigidly to that number. Stand upright and swallow with effort in three stages. When drinking Qi and swallowing, use the mind’s intent to guide it to the Dantian, the energy center in the lower abdomen where cultivated Qi gathers. Bathe the inside of the body on both sides, irrigating it so that the numinous source can sprout. Only then can you undertake the greater work.

In the Water Method—the practice of swallowing saliva—use twelve as the measure, dividing each part into thirty-six swallows. Six times six is thirty-six, the number of Water. During the hours of Yin, Shen, Mao, and You, you can settle the spirit and cultivate. Where does this Dao lie? Keep to what is constant; let no thought waver. Preserve Qi, conceal Jing, guard Shen, and steady the breath. Respond to things as they arise, without pursuing the external world.

I take the sun, moon, and hours as symbols. Yet the work of a year is not as effective as that of a month, a month’s work is not as effective as a day’s, and a day’s work is not as effective as an hour’s. An hour can surpass the effect of a day, a day that of a month, and a month that of a year. When I cultivate, a perfected being comes to my aid. When inner and outer cultivation support each other, and I go a thousand days without failing, I can become a perfected being.

A perfected being has attained a position in accordance with the Dharma of primordial unity. Perhaps this is a lesser attainment among the immortals? Those who do not understand the methods of alchemical cultivation, and merely practice quiet stillness and cling to old habits—or who become frenzied—may train themselves to reach a state of concentration. Yet when the body dies and the spirit departs, they are only ghosts.

In the workings of spirit, with host and guest, do not dare to be the host; be only the guest. Do not dare to advance; seek only to withdraw. In daily life, contend with nothing, and remain among the things you cherish. Let the spirit remain as a guest, guarding its foundation. When you see external things and become attached to them, the spirit takes the role of host and binds itself to those things. Then the six emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, love, and aversion—arise through the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue, and you lose your true nature.

Thus, those who cultivate the Real constantly use Shen to guard the Dantian and the foundation of life. There is no other method: when Shen is harmonious, it guards Qi; Qi then guards Jing; Jing then guards the One. Do not dare to be the host. This is how the spirit settles both within and without, and how arising and passing away cease.

People attain Shen through Jing, and attain life through thoughts arising in Shen. Thus life rests entirely on Jing. Jing is the utmost truth: it is the substance that gives rise to life, something that has a name but no form. Heaven and Earth…

The Dao Shu: A Plain-Language Interpretation

All things arise from Jing (essence) and, through layer upon layer of accumulation, form life and destiny. Their source may be said to lie in the formless, indistinct realm. Master Cui says: Heaven and Earth give rise to the Eight Trigrams (Bagua); the Eight Trigrams in turn give rise to the ten Heavenly Stems—Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, and so on. Jia corresponds to Qian, Yi to Kun, Bing to Gen, Ding to Dui, Geng to Zhen, Xin to Xun, Ren to Li, and Gui to Kan, while Wu and Ji are assigned to the Central Palace. Heaven has three wonders: the sun, moon, and stars. Earth has three wonders: Yi, Bing, and Ding. Humanity has three wonders: Jing, Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit). The celestial Pivot, the Yellow River and Luo River diagrams on Earth, and the body’s Ying and Wei Qi—its nourishing and defensive energies—are where these three wonders find expression. A person’s three wonders remain within the body. When they circulate by means of the Qi received from Heaven and Earth, they can become one with Heaven and Earth. Water, Fire, Metal, and Wood correspond to the four seasons and endure without perishing. By embodying this principle, one may live without end.

Why is this so? The east is associated with Jia and Yi: Jia is Qian, Yi is Kun, and they are paired as husband and wife. In the south, Bing and Ding correspond to Gen and Dui; in the west, Geng and Xin correspond to Zhen and Xun; in the north, Ren and Gui correspond to Li and Kan. Each pair is like husband and wife. Zhen is also matched with the liver, Dui with the lungs, Li with the heart, Kan with the kidneys, and Kun with the spleen. Taking images from the four seasons and introducing them as medicine into the Dantian (energy center), one can endure as long as Heaven and Earth.

A person’s Shen is like fire in a bundle of wood: if the fire does not escape, the wood burns for a long time; if the Shen does not wander outward, the body can endure. When fire flares up and shines outward, the wood is nearly spent. When the mind and Shen wander outward, the uncarved simplicity of one’s original nature is about to scatter. If the light of Shen does not dissipate, and Shen responds to things without leaking outward, one’s foundations remain firm and one’s wholeness is preserved. Jing is the utmost reality. Only when Jing, Shen, and Qi remain deeply joined and do not part can the body be made firm. To nourish the inner self with Shen, the outer self with Qi, and entrust Jing to the mysterious realm as a means of harmonious balance: this is the Way of long life. The light of Shen is hidden within Qi; Jing is light, Shen is wisdom, and Qi is the cauldron. These are what are called the Three Treasures. When Shen does not leave the body, Jing does not leave Shen, and Qi envelops the Three Treasures, they accord with the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity. Master Guangchengzi says: “Jing is born at the threshold of the Qi Sea, like fire within wood.”

Plain-Language Commentary on The Pivot of the Dao

Wood corresponds to the Jade Spring within my body. The Jade Spring is like the celestial pivot and the Yellow River, circulating through the body. The Kun trigram corresponds to the time of the Dipper constellation, during the Hai hour. At the Zi hour it changes into the Fu trigram, with Earth above and Wood below. Wood is the eastern phase among the Five Phases; the star Lianzhen belongs to Fire. Fire within Water means that Water has form while Fire does not. When the Jade Spring rises, it is what is called “Fire within Water,” symbolizing the Kun trigram changing into the Fu trigram and the first Yang being born. This is the natural progression through the tenth month into the eleventh. At the Zi hour, too, one proceeds through nine intervals: the passage opens and the flow rises, the Jade Spring descends, and the body is refined with Golden Liquid. The Five Phases enter the medicine as Fire, Metal, and Wood combine and move together. Spirit and Qi join in their images and remain close to the Sea of Qi. Jing follows Shen into the Sea of Qi, where they form the cauldron. When Shen and Qi are sealed and gathered, Qi endures. Qi drives Jing upward: this is the subtle wonder. Shen responding to Qi and following it is called Fire; Jing responding to Qi and following it is called Water.

As medicine enters within me, the Qi of the Heavenly Gate does not emerge; it continues softly, as if present, so Qi does not leave the body and spirit and essence turn by themselves. This is like Fire in Heaven and Water on Earth: beneath Water is Fire, and beneath Fire is Qi. This is the natural order of the Five Phases. The seven openings above correspond to the Seven Luminaries; the two openings below correspond to the auxiliary stars, symbolizing the movements of Heaven and Earth. Kunlun refers to the crown of the head, and the Heavenly Pillar to the twenty-four vertebrae between the shoulder blades. Turning the head to the left and right allows the hundred channels to flow freely. Opening the two passes means raising both hands. When one raises them and bends the body, as if weighing something again, the openings become clear and flow into the upper palace. The upper palace is the brain. Those who practice the Dao let their nature take its course: when it closes, let it close; when it sleeps, let it sleep; when it moves, let it move. Nature must remain unattached. Constantly keep watch over the Shen in the Dantian; to guard it as though not guarding it is the true work of transformation.

Qian, number six, corresponds to the large intestine; Kan, number one, to the kidneys; Gen, number eight, to the bladder; Zhen, number three, to the liver; Xun, number four, to the gallbladder; Li, number nine, to the heart; Kun, number two, to the small intestine; and Dui, number seven, to the lungs and spleen. Earth is the Fire of the central palace, and Metal is born in Water. (This passage matches the Eight Trigrams to the organs, presenting the body as an image used in Neidan practice.)

A Plain-Language Reading of The Pivot of the Dao

“The Mirror of the Elixir” Chapter

Wood is born within Metal, and Water is born within Fire; only Earth can govern the end of the Four Seasons, residing in the Central Palace (the center of the human body, usually referring to the spleen and stomach or the area around the Dantian [energy center]).

Master Zhiyouzi said: I obtained two books by Master Cui (Cui Xifan, a renowned Neidan [internal alchemy] adept). Both discuss primordial Qi—in fact, this refers to Lead and Mercury, code names in Neidan for Yin-Yang essence and energy. Once the Nine Revolutions are complete, one can become an immortal.

First: Gathering the Ingredients

What does gathering the ingredients mean? The Dragon and Tiger surge and mingle; the Sun and Moon ascend. The Nine Curves are the source of the true original, through which the Two Principles can be distinguished.

• Nine Curves: refers to the small intestine; in inner-body imagery, the bends of the intestines symbolize the turns of the energy channels.
• Two Principles: the Sun and Moon.
• True Mercury and Lead: the source of the great medicine lies within them.

Second: Wood Mercury and Metal Lead

What are Wood Mercury and Metal Lead? They are the essence of two eights (sixteen, often symbolizing the middle of the lunar month or the balance of Yin and Yang) and the Sun and Moon, all born from one Water.

If extraction and replenishment (adjusting the firing process and guiding the practice) within the Gate of Two Eights are carried out without the slightest error, the sea of medicine will become clear, and true solar splendor will descend (true Yang descending like sunlight). Refine it for another thousand days, and a form of gold and jade will take shape, symbolizing a firm Elixir body.

Third: Extraction and Replenishment of the Supreme Medicine

What does extraction and replenishment of the supreme medicine mean? It means extracting and replenishing at the two arcs of the Sun and Moon (around the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, symbolizing the first changes of Yin and Yang). Use the Red Dragon’s fire-cart (an image of Yang energy in motion) to refine it during the two hours; then Xun Wind arises and the stars take their places.

• Two hours: the two crucial times when Yin and Yang ascend and descend.
• Fire-cart: a symbol of Yang.

Fourth: Dragon and Tiger, Lead and Mercury

What are Dragon and Tiger, Lead and Mercury? The Dragon draws out its Mercury; the Tiger adds its Lead. They rise and sink within the cauldron (an image of the Dantian or alchemical furnace), with both substances present. Then Kan-Wu and Li-Ji are paired (in the Eight Trigrams’ system of assigning the Heavenly Stems, Kan corresponds to Wu and Li to Ji, symbolizing the union of Water and Fire).

First recognize the two hours when Yin and Yang ascend and descend, then practice. Only when the weights (the measure and dosage) are exact can the great medicine be formed.

Fifth: Seeking the Yang Crow at the Sea Bottom

What does seeking the Yang Crow at the sea bottom mean? When the Yang Crow (a symbol of the Sun) beats its wings over the sea and surges forward, do not let the Fire Spirit scatter. If the fire strays into the Gate of the Elixir Palace (the entrance to the Dantian), put it out and wait for the day of bathing; then use Yang Fire to gather eight taels of golden sand—this is called true Yang. This is the pivot of the returning Elixir. Then jade-green waves and golden currents pour into Kan’s male (Kan belongs to Water and is associated with the male; here it symbolizes Yang energy in the lower Dantian).

Sixth: The Talisman Star Enters the Primordial Palace

What does the Talisman Star entering the Primordial Palace mean? The Talisman Star turns into the Palace of the Primordial Embryo to control the redness of lead frost—this is the stage when the Golden Elixir returns to the Heavenly Talisman and restores the true Qi. Within the cauldron, a silver liquid forms naturally, shaped like a lotus.

Seventh: Fire Attains Pure Yang

What does fire attaining pure Yang mean? Pure Yang is Qian (the first of the Eight Trigrams, representing Heaven and the utmost Yang) …

(The original text breaks off here; what follows is not included.)

Note: This chapter uses terms such as Dragon and Tiger, Lead and Mercury, cauldron, Nine Revolutions, and bathing as figurative language for Neidan practice. Water and Fire, the Sun and Moon, and Kan and Li in the human body symbolize stages of cultivation. They should not all be understood literally as chemistry or anatomy. Specific methods must be considered in light of the complete scripture and a teacher’s transmission; this passage offers only a clarification of meaning.

Plain-Language Interpretation

When the Elixir Qi has been refined through the “seven returns,” Yang Qi has passed beyond “six” and encountered the restraining force of Geng Metal Qi. At this point, autumn stone transforms into langgan jade, and lead frost condenses into the returning-refinement elixir. If the blending is done correctly, the Qi of the ninth-turn harmony and balance emerges.

Question Eight: What does “Yin and Yang restrained” mean?

The restraint takes place at the “Mysterious Pass,” the critical lock in the Qi channels. When the fire reaches the south, it is no longer refined fiercely. In the Kun cauldron, Yin restrains Yang, and lead becomes white snow, taking on the shape of peach blossoms. When refinement reaches “nine times nine,” lead and mercury are anchored in the Dantian, able to withstand cold and heat. This is what is meant by the bell of the iron ox and the image of the golden coin.

Question Nine: What does “auspicious Qi surging forth” mean?

Qi is anchored in the Kun Palace; the rainbow-colored chariot turns against the wind and obtains the root of the sun and moon. The Yellow Sprout is perfected like jade. This refers to the Yang substance of the Golden Elixir and the transformation of the embryo. By repeatedly refining the mysterious foundation of the Great Dao with fire, one may enter the Dao of the immortals.

Question Ten: What does “the tiger crouches and the dragon stamps” mean?

This is associated with the Dipper constellation. Once Heaven and Earth have taken their positions, Qi grows more vigorous in the cauldron at the last quarter of the moon. The Maiden and the Infant wear crimson silk; the mother and child of the Golden Elixir complete one another, and Yin and Yang congeal without dispersing. After taking it for a thousand days, one may regain a youthful appearance.

Question Eleven: What does “the nine Qi surge to completion” mean?

When the surge reaches completion, one’s power doubles. Rosy light shines upon the spirit furnace, the Yellow Woman’s heart grows still, and man and woman bathe in crimson pearls. The ninth turn forms a mysterious pearl. Taking one pill grants a thousand years of life; taking it again and refining it further can bring eternal life and enduring vision.

Question Twelve: What does “the Jade Emperor newly confers a lofty rank” mean?

Once Kan and Li have been refined, divine light naturally enters and leaves, appearing and disappearing with clarity. The Yang spirit grows stronger day by day, while Yin influences diminish. Thus one attains long life: the Jade Emperor confers the rank of Lord of Taiyi.

Question Thirteen: What does “the nine-year Elixir furnace” mean?

After nine years, one grasps the workings of Heaven and can surge onward for ten thousand miles without losing the way. Once refinement is complete after a thousand days, one may ascend as an immortal.

Question Fourteen: What does “extinction” mean?

When practice coincides with the “two quarter-moons” of the sun and moon, it often brings harm rather than benefit. At this point, the practitioner undergoes “extinction”: Yin and Yang pause at the two quarter-moons; the two states of sinking meet, and extinction proceeds alongside sinking. Hence the saying that Yin and Yang pause and pool at the two quarter-moons.

At this stage, the essence and Qi must be gathered and refined; only then can one attain realization. The fifteenth question asks: What is meant by gathering the medicine? Collecting gold and gathering jade depends on the primordial source of Heaven (the root of the precelestial), where Yang Fire meets and the substances are refined. When the measures are complete—the “zhu and liang,” meaning the proportions of Yin and Yang Qi in alchemy—the process is like a dragon passing and bringing rain: essence and Qi flow into the source of Kunlun. Yin Zhenjun said: “There are fixed days for gathering the medicine and fixed hours for taking it.”

The sixteenth question asks: What is meant by the “knife and gui”? The knife and gui are the essences of the sun and moon, the true Qi. The two Yin-Yang soils—Spleen Earth and Kidney Earth—govern the generation and transformation of all things. Together they are called the knife and gui, and are stored in the cauldron of the Spleen. When the two Qi of Yin and Yang meet and differentiate, the transformation is complete.

Later, Chunyangzi (Lü Dongbin) heard these principles from Master Cui and exclaimed: “Now I know that cultivation follows a reliable method. The dual cultivation of nature and life proceeds without the slightest deviation, and the Dao is realized through it.” Chunyangzi then offered a further explanation.

Chunyangzi said: “In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor traveled throughout the four directions. When he arrived at Mount Qingcheng, he met Qibo, Guangchengzi, and Huangguzi, and there came to understand the Great Dao. He then studied the method of the hundred ke, using golden lead and jade mercury, gathering the Three Primordials and applying Fire to cook and refine them. Within the hundred ke, transformation and creation were accomplished; one need only gather in the womb-rabbit (a reference to Original Essence), and the result will come naturally. The so-called hundred ke are used to regulate the breath and establish the rhythm of one breath per ke…”

(The text continues in volume 37 of The Pivot of the Dao.)